Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-10-28

shown. had been declared 20 be unlawful by |
lho supreme Court Of tho United states, and |
The others we're 20 vague that the border states
themselves might be embraced within thsir
scope.
their resolution was quickly taken upon tho
question thus euddeniy forced upon them.
The convention OF Arksnsas, which 90 tho
18th or March had refused TO adopt an ordi-
! arCe Of secession by vote Of 81 to 80 assem-
bled again on the 9th Of May and passed that
ordinance by q vote Of co TO I.
In North Carolina, which had refused In
February 10 call convention, ono was called
INN ediatoly upon the appearance Of the pro.
which met on the eOth OF May, aud
parsed an ordinance Of secession the following
day. In Tennessee, which had refused 20 call
convention In February, tho people ratined
an ordinance Of secession on the eth Of June
by n vote Of i0i,0i9 20 i7,23S. "a announced by
the Governor. I'm the Virginia convention.
which had refused 20 adopt an ordinance OF
secession on tho fth OF Aprt, 1851, by vote OF
50 90 a.. and which "a late a. the lith OF April
had refused 20 adopt conditional declaration
In favor Of secession. on the 18th OF April an
ordinance Of secession was adopted by n vote OF
s. 10 80, and the majority vote was aiterwarl.
increased 10 81. tS{t{1 -
The change in the feeling Of the pespie 90
Kentucky. Missouri, and Maryland was equally
marked, although its free expression was pre-.
vented by force and the action OF tho Federal
Government was resented where the ability 10
resist was wanting.
The differences 20 which have referred "a
existing among the people Of the cotton States
themselves upon the subject OF secession dis.
appeared, "a did the differences between the
advocates and opponents Of the measure In the
border States.
In a word, tho people OF all III. slave-hoGing
States or q vast majority OF them, were united
"a one man 20 defend the principles which they
considered 10 be endangered 10y the prOclama-
ton. / think | did not state the ease 10
strongly when | said that the COntcderacJ which
20 long resisted the Federal arms was brought
into existence 10y the act Of Mr.. Lincoln. The
cause Of the South was now altogether differ
cnt from that which was represented by tho
Montgomery Confederation.
IINcOLN's RESPONSIBILITY.
have shown that, in the opinion Of the pao-
pie Of the border states, the secession of the
States that formed that confederation was not
warranted 10y the causes then existing.
But now Mir. Lincoln had given a now cause,
which was worthy Of the support OF all mou
who preferred constitutional 20 arbitrary gov
eminent
The questions arising out Of the slavery asi-
tatiOn had not united the southern people.
great majority of Thorn did not consider that
anything affecting slavery had occurred 70 cau
for the extreme remedy Of secession.
The desire to dissolve the Union for the pur-
pose Of forming a new Conicderacy had not
united them. On the contrary, n controlling
majority Of them had pronounced against Sc
Cession for that purpose.
The election Of Mr.. Lincoln had not united
them, for a like great majority had pronounced
against secession for that reason.
But when the proclamation came, with its
claim 10 arbitrary power ON the part OF tbs
President, the people Of the South who were
not prevented by force united almost 70 man
10 defend their free institutions against what
they regarded as an attempt 10 establish
despotic government
Virginia, rs / have said, promptly took her
place In opposition 10 the proclamation.
In the eyes Of the people, II was the same
place che had taken whom George III. was
king, aud as In that struggle she placed her
sword in the hands Of her Washington, in the
impending struggle she committed IL TO the no
less worthy hands OF her Lee.
such was the actual cause OF virginia ana
her sister states, aud such the cause In defence
Of which Robert Edward Lee drew his stainless
sword and won his dehthless fame.
II has been said that the cause Of the South
was the worst that any people ever fought for
To those who measure national greatness by
the acre, and know no national welfare that
does not bear the stamp OF he mint, the cause
was bad, but not so In the eyes Of the children
Of that holy covenant between the power of the
State and the liberty Of the people, the FIRST
lines Of which were written AT kunnymede,
whose leaves are stained with the blood OF
countless martyrs, and TO which the hand OF
Washington set the bloOd-rcd seal al Yorktown
To hem the cause was one for which II was
an honor to fight and glory to die.
TO-DAY.
We are here to-day 10 honor ourselves by
doing honor TO the memory OF the foremost
champion Of that cause.
II We look for a moment at the result Of tho
method Of composing the troubles OF the
country I'm 1861, adopted by Mr. Lincoln, DO
not think that much encouragement will be
found To- resort 20 Il again.
Tits true that il abolished slavery and re-
moved tie only serious cause Of d'ssention be
tween the people Of tho North and South. but
e Ell
an accident Of the war, aud notits object
It, object was the restoration Of the cotton
States 10 he Union, or in the language OF the
proclamation. d" to maintain the integrity and
existence of our national Union and the per-
pctuity Of popular government, and to avenge
wrongs already long enough endured
The Aforementioned object IL must BE owned,
was accomplished, Whatever and however
great the wrongs to be avenged may have
been.
Ii did restore the cotton States 20 the Union,
but IL restored only the land and the wretchei
Inhabitants Of IL.
Instead of maintaining the honor, the integ-
rity. and the existence Of our national Union,
il destroyed that Union. in all bat territorial
sense. more cfie 'tually than secession, bY sub
shutting conquered provinces for free states,
and repeating In America the shameful history
Of Russia and Poland.
Instead of naintaining the perpetuity Of
popular government, it established military
covernmeut: instead OF enforcing the laws Of
the Union, il established over nearly half the
Union military and martial law.
In fact arbitrary power and force have
proved themselves failures "a agencies in es-
iabushipe or maintaining the true principles
q American government
The actual re-establi-hment Of the Union
with all the blessings We enjoy under IL mas
come through q reaction against the policy OF
force and despotlsm.
TIE wave ~ arbitrary power. with the pub
lie and private corruption that always areni
il, swept on for many dreary years after the
war until II began to lap against the iouuia-
tiCns OF the independence OF the northern
mo- then found that TO hold the South in
subsection 60 governments Imposed upon u by
Federal bayoncts would cudanccr their own
liberties. and the advancing wave broke upon
the good sense and patriotism OF the northern
people.
Then began the work Of restoring the Union
ly means Cf Justice, GCoi-Wlll cllatloh,
and fratornal kindness. and they have done
hoir work we'll But the great mass OF the
southern PEOPLE believed, ani Sill believe,
that The same agencies Wouli have done the
same blessed wora I'm 1851, before dark river
81 l'oCd and tears was mnce L. now between
the people OF tic North ana south.
RICHMOND.
impossible for me TO speak Of the mill
| tary history 4 Coueral Lee. or even refer u
| it, except In the most general way.
Richmond itself Is the monument OF his milf
tary genius. o,...
| form and the means he had with which TO per-
! form Il. think you will see that what he dld
| needs no adjective. General Lee ALWAYS OBJ
! jectcd t. the use Of adicctives IN the descriP
! lion az what was admirable In itself.
/ had occasion early in the campaign OF ls6S
! Ia write an account Of q brilliant performance
! Of some % his troops. and ayiug been al eye
! witness and being new 10 such things, na,u
| rally put "a good many adlectves mo Inc mar
hon tlfE
| struck cut every adjective, saying; Leave
| Them out, sir; ia not true account OF Wnh
| they did adjective onOugh7' | shall conhut
| mysclf 10 a very general statement VI what Ia.
| Richmond. after the destruction Of tho Nir-
ginia Ia April. 1862, became practically from
| tier post bat its possession was necessary n
| prevent the loss Of Virginia, ana the transfer oil
the war south Of the Roanoke.
| IL was "a easy for the enemy % land an arm'
! within a few miles Of the city without obstruc
ton. as 70 was To transport ono from washing
ton 10 Alexandria. go
Richmond depended for the support OF it'
Inhabitants. and the army That defended tice
mond depended for its supplies Of an kinds
! upon long and exposed lines OF railway IN
| defence of which was necessary, II fdchmoh-
! was 10 Zoe held.
Now. II You viii count the whole number o
! Federal troops employed Tor three years IL
| trying To take Richmond, iucludine, Of course
| those engaged in destroying supplies upO'
which Richmond and its defenders directly dc
| pended, and I'm breaking lines Of rail 10y which
| Richmond received its supplies and the arm
| defending Richmond received nearly every
thing II required, aud then count all the troop
engaged during that time In defending Rich
mOnd and its communications, you VIII hu
that the respective numbers were nearly o
quite a. four 10 one.
, Then. II YOU remember that the defence O
these communications, as well as the defcnc
; ! II the city was imposed upon the smalle